By 605 Sports Staff

Editor’s Note: 605 Sports will unveil team preview capsules on all boys basketball classes leading up to the 2022-23 season openers. The information provided was submitted by coaches in response to an email sent by 605 Sports.

Sioux Falls Jefferson is making quite an impression in its short existence.

The Cavaliers are coming off the Class 11AAA state football championship in November and are the No. 1 team to start the high school boys basketball season. Jefferson, which is in its second season of existence, received 11 of the 18 first-place votes in the preseason rankings. Harrisburg (1), Sioux Falls Lincoln (2) and Sioux Falls O’Gorman (3) also received first-place votes. Pierre, which is also coming off a state football championship, rounded out the top five in the preseason poll. 

Team capsules (listed in alphabetical order): 

Huron

Coach: Tim Buddenhagen

Last year’s record: 6-15

Key returnees: Reilyn Zavesky, 6-4, sr.; Dylan Lichty, 5-10, sr.; Dawsyn Rogers, 6-4, sr.; Blake Ellwein, 6-5, fr.

Top newcomers: Mason Davis, 6-3, sr.; C.J. Gainey, 5-10, jr.; Ethan Neugebauer, 6-6, sr.; Gavin Moeding, 5-10, jr.; Quenton Walls, 5-10, sr.; Aiden Glanzer, 6-3, sr. 

Outlook: Tim Buddenhagen returns to coach the Huron boys basketball team after coaching the Tiger girls the past four seasons. He inherits a team that finished 6-15 last season and includes returners Reilyn Zavesky (9.7 ppg/6 rpg), Dawsyn Rogers (2.7 ppg/2.1 rpg), Blake Ellwein (2.5 ppg) and Dylan Lichty (1.4 ppg). 

“We want to run a race and space offense and we will rely on our guy’s skills to get us baskets,” Buddenhagen said. “Our goal is to get shots early in the shot clock before our opponents can set up their defense. We want to constantly put as much pressure on the defense as possible. The key to our success will be our 3 point shooting. Defensively, we want to dictate the shots our opponents will take. We want to force our opponents to take quick shots by putting pressure on them in the backcourt. Our goal is to create scoring opportunities for our offense by our opponents taking quick shots. We want our opponents to be out of their system. Our success is going to depend on our ability to shoot the ball. If we can put five shooters on the perimeter it should open up some driving lanes for us to get some easy baskets.”

Mitchell 

Coach: Ryker Kreutzfeldt

Last year’s record: 15-9

Key returnees: Dylan Soulek, 6-3, sr.; Steele Morgan, 6-5, sr.; Charlie McCardle, 6-1, sr.; Aiden Myers, 6-1, sr.; Gavin Soukup, 6-2, jr. 

Top newcomers: Markus Talley, 6-0, soph.; Colton Smith, 6-4, fr.

Outlook: The Kernels will be gunning for their third straight Class AA state boys basketball appearance this season and are coming off an Eastern South Dakota Conference championship. The Kernels will rely on Dylan Soulek and Steele Morgan, among others, to soften the blow of graduating Caden Hinker, a three-time all-stater. 

“We are really excited about the depth that we have this year, which was one of our weaknesses,” Mitchell coach Ryker Kreutzfeldt said. “We are going to be a team that tries to get out in transition as much as possible. We will be able to surround quality post players with serious 3-point threats. We feel that we could be a team that surprises some people this year.”

Rapid City Central 

Coach: T.J. Hay 

Last year’s record: 4-16

Key returnees: Shun-Zi White Woman, 6-4, jr.; Cooper Totten, 6-5, sr.; Jet Janvrin, 6-1, jr.; Jon Suarez, 6-0, sr.

Top newcomers: Cameron Steidley, 6-1, sr.; Lincoln Archambault, 5-9, sr.; Will Paepke, 6-5, sr.; Carsen Kurtenbach, 6-3, sr.; Tyson Waters, 6-0, sr.; Isaiah Whiting, 6-1, jr.; Killian Petersen, 6-0, sr.; Daeson Prairie Chicken, 6-4, sr.

Outlook: The Cobblers bring back a wealth of experience from last season’s 4-16 team and coach T.J. Hay said that will be among the strengths this season. 

“We have 10-11 guys that will be fighting for playing time everyday in practice,” Hay said. “Not overly sized inside, but we do have some guys that are pretty handy around the rim and will look to score some points in the paint with them. On the perimeter, we are pretty athletic. This group has a chance to be a pretty good defensive team with the ability to pick up full court and run the floor offensively. We will need to figure out roles and work on team chemistry as we have several new guys on the roster. We do bring quite a bit of experience back from last year's squad which battled injuries all year last year.”

Rapid City Stevens

Coach: Chris Stoebner

Last year’s record: 10-11

Key returnees: Nash Sobczak, 6-4, sr.; Hayden Gebhart, 6-2, sr.; Caden Dowling, 5-11, sr.; Will Dorch, 5-10, sr.; Jiven Maharajh, 6-2, jr.; Madinko Hawley, 6-3, jr.; Thomas Martian, 6-4, jr.

Outlook: The Raiders were hit hard by graduation and will be short on returning varsity experience from a season ago. But coach Chris Stoebner is optimistic the team will make strides throughout the season. 

“We will have to do the little things to really compete with the best teams in AA,” Stoebner said. “I do believe with the length and athleticism we have we should be a good defensive team and that’s what we want to hang our hat on especially early. We are not very big overall, but we can hopefully make up with that with our length. Offensively we will have to be able to take care of the ball and shoot it better than we did last year while also trying to create easier shots. I believe although inexperienced this is a group that by the end of the year will look much different than the start. If we can continue to buy into the selfless culture and humble ourselves every day, I believe we have a shot to compete come tournament time.”

Sioux Falls Jefferson 

Coach: Tim Reck

Last year’s record: 14-10

Key returnees: Taylen Ashley, 6-0, sr.; Kaden Year, 6-5, sr.; Griffin Wilde, 6-3, sr.; Beau Giblin, 6-1, sr.; Mason Riley, 6-6, sr.; Ethan Koltz, 6-10, sr., Dawson Sechser, 5-10, jr.; Braylon Bear, 6-0, jr. 

Outlook: The Cavaliers bring all five starters from last season’s seventh-place team, which was their first season of existence. Sioux Falls Jefferson, which is coming off a state football championship in the fall, is loaded with college prospects. Taylen Ashley has committed to play basketball at the University of Sioux Falls, while Griffin Wilde will play football at South Dakota State University. Ethan Koltz, a 6-foot-10 post, will play basketball at Southwest Minnesota State, while Kaden Year and Beau Giblin are both college prospects. Year (15.1 ppg/6 rpg), Taylen Ashley (14 ppg/5 apg) and Wilde (12.6 ppg/5 rpg) all scored in double figures per game last season. 

“Played their best basketball at the end of the season last year,” Jefferson coach Tim Reck said. “Will need to have some underclassmen and other seniors gain some valuable experience early in the season to help develop depth. Ran into state tournament experienced teams last year and learned what it takes to play in a state tournament.”

Sioux Falls O’Gorman

Coach: Derek Robey

Last year’s record: 21-3 (Class AA runner-up)

Key returnees: Matt Eng, 6-2, sr.

Top newcomers: Gavin Muirhead, 6-7, sr.; Radley Mauney, 5-9, sr.

Outlook: Sioux Falls O’Gorman must replace four starters from last season’s runner-up finish. The Knights lost to rival Sioux Falls Roosevelt in the state championship game, 54-52, and look to reclaim their position atop Class AA. Senior guard Matt Eng will lead the Knights this season after averaging 15.8 points per game last season. Gavin Muirhead (3.7 ppg) and Radley Mauney (6 ppg) will also contribute for the Knights.

Sioux Falls O’Gorman coach Derek Robey said, “The Knights have potential, yet have to stay disciplined and play team basketball.”